S'pore students back after detour

A GROUP of students from Yishun Town Secondary School who were in India for a four-day immersion programme returned home safely yesterday - much to the relief of their families.

The 17 students and three teachers were supposed to have flown back from Mumbai's airport on Thursday, when violence broke out in the city.

Afraid for their safety, the school redirected them to Bangalore's airport, from where they flew home.

Two Saturdays ago, the students and teachers left for Pune, often described as the cultural capital of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, to learn about the Indian education system, culture and sights through sharing and making friends.

Pune is about 120km south-east of Mumbai.

The school's vice-principal Tan Chin Huat, told The Straits Times that when news of the situation in Mumbai broke, the school contacted the teachers at once to confirm the safety of the group.

The students' parents were also called and given reassurance of their children's safety, he said.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also informed of the group's location; the ministry's officials who had gone to Mumbai were in constant contact with the teachers in charge of the trip.

Mr Tan said: 'It was as the events unfolded that the school decided that it would be advisable to take a detour to Bangalore and then fly home to Singapore from there.'

The students and teachers arrived safely at about 6 am yesterday.

Violence exploded in Mumbai last Wednesday, when teams of heavily-armed militants launched a string of attacks on more than 10 sites in the city, including the two luxury hotels, the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Trident.

Indian commandos ended the three-day rampage on Saturday, after more than 170 people died in the attacks - including Singapore lawyer Lo Hwei Yen, 28.

Her body was flown back on board a Singapore Airlines flight from Mumbai early yesterday.

She was accompanied by her husband Michael Puhaindran, who had flown to Mumbai last Thursday night on getting the news that she had been taken hostage.

An MFA spokesman told The Straits Times that of the 115 Singaporeans in Mumbai registered with the ministry, 'a number had decided to stay on for various reasons'.